CFP: Mockumentaries (7/30/06; Film &amp; History, 11/8/06-11/12/06)

In an entertainment era overwhelmed by =93reality=94 shows, the parody and==20satire of the mockumentary, or =93fictional documentary,=94 take on even=20greater appeal. From the BBC=92s 1957 April Fool=92s broadcast of=20Panorama=92s =93Swiss Spaghetti Harvest=94 to the genre=92s latest= addition, To=20Kill a Mockumentary (2006), mockumentaries have critiqued, lampooned, and=20had a good, hard laugh at everything from the taken-for-granteds of=20everyday life to our most cherished cultural icons. This call for papers=20seeks submissions of work from a wide range of orientations, exploring the==20contexts, uses, and impacts of this fictional documentary tradition that=20traces its roots back to the radio broadcast of H.G. Wells=92 War of the= Worlds.

Possible topics for consideration include, but are not limited to:

=B7 * The works of particular mockumentary filmmakers, or the role= of=20the mockumentary in a filmmaker=92s career, such as Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap), Christopher Guest=20(Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind), Woody Allen (Husbands and Wives, Zelig, Sweet and= Lowdow).

* In-depth analysis of particular films (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Bob==20Roberts, The Rutles, The Blair Witch Project, Children of the Revolution, The Proverb, etc.).

* An analysis of the use of various techniques and strategies=20across the genre, including the blending of actual documentary with fictitious footage (First People on the Moon,==202005; Fandom: A True Film, 2004).

* A cultural analysis of the mockumentaries arising from a=20particular historical moment.

The Film & History League will be holding its biannual conference on "The=20Documentary Tradition" during November 8-12, 2006, near Dallas, TX. Full=20details on the location, featured speakers, registration procedures, and=20additional area topics can be found on the web site at=20www.filmandhistory.org. Proposals for either individual papers or complete==20panels (3-4 papers) are welcomed, and submissions may be made in either=20electronic (no attachments, please) or hard copy format. Please send panel==20proposals and/or 300-word paper abstracts no later than July 30, 2006, to: